Sidewalk-cover.



F. KEES;

SIDEWALK COVER.

APPLICATION FILED Amma, 1910A Patented June 25, 1912.

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FREDERICK KEES, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SIDEWALK-COVER.

- Specification of Letters Patent.V

Patented J une 25, 1912.

Application filed April 29, 19170. Serial No. 558,484.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK KEES, of

Minneapolis, I-Iennepin county, Minnesota,I

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sidewalk-Covers, of which the following is a specification.

It is customary in delivering large or heavy packages to the basement of a build-` to provide a guard of some sort to prevent persons from falling into the hole when the doors are open and the elevator is lowered.

The object of my present invention is to provide a cover by means of which the opening in the sidewalk will be elfectually closed when the elevator is lowered with its load and will positively prevent any one from falling into the hole and doing away entirely with the unsightly and otherwise objectionable sidewalk doors.

A further object is to provide a cover which can be raised a suitable distance from the sidewalk for Ventilating purposes and its supporting frame forming a guard around the hole t-o prevent a person or animal from falling into the basement.

The invention consists generally in a cover, an elevator, and means interposed between the cover and elevator whereby the movement of the elevator will impart a simultaneous movement to the cover.

Further the invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter -described and partcularlyrpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specication, Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view through a portion of a sidewalk illustrating the application of my invention thereto, the raised position of the elevator being indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the cover raised for Ventilating purposes, Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, illustrating the preferred manner of connecting the cover with the elevator.

In the drawing, 2 represents a section of sidewalk having a hole or opening 3 therethrough inclosed by a frame 4 having a beveled edge or surface 5.

6 is an elevator, preferably of the plunger type, having a plunger 7 and operated'by any suitable means, which I have not thought necessary to illustrate in this applicat-ion.

8 is a cover having beveled edges to lit the corresponding edges of the frame 4, and provided on its underside with guide plates 9, which serve to direct the cover to its seat in the frame. This cover, when seated, will be flush with the top of the sidewalk and present no projection or surface which mighttrip a person walking thereon.

Upon the platform of the elevator I provide a series of upright standards 10, pref-v erably four in number, one at each corner of the platform. These standards, for' convenience and economy, are tubular in form, connected with one another by suitable braces, such as 11, and having guards 12 preferably of netting which, when the cover is elevated for the purpose of Ventilating the basement, are a short distance above the level of the sidewalk and prevent children or animals from falling through the hole in the sidewalk into the basement.

0n the underside of the cover I provide a series of rods 13 having their lower ends adaptedto slide in caps 14 mounted on the upper ends of the standards 10. Springs 15 are carried by therods 13 between the caps 14 and nuts 16 mounted on the threaded lower ends of the rods. Bracing or strengthening bars 17 are Vpreferably provided on the underside ofthe cover to which the rods 13 are secured. When the elevator is raised, the standards 10 will contact with the bars 17, lifting the cover from its seat and if it is desired to place a load on the elevator, its upward movement will continue until its platform is on a level with the sidewalk and the cover will be raised to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The load is then placed on the platform of the elevator and as it descends the cover will descend also until it contacts with its seat in the frame 4. The springs 15 will yield sufficiently to allow the cover to seat itself and also allow a slight variation in the travel of the elevatorl platform and render it unnecessary Ato determine accurately when the elevator is installed the eX act distance between the seat of the cover and the limit of downward movement of the elevator. The springs will compensate for a considerable variation and prevent damage to the cover or its connections. The springs will also yield in case anything should come between the edge of the cover and its seat, preventing it temporarily from assuming its normal horizontal position flush with the sidewalk.

The connection between the cover and the elevator may be modified in various ways and I do not, therefore, wish t0 be confined to the construction shown herein, the essential feature being the means for lifting the cover simultaneously with the elevator platform and lowering it to close the opening in the sidewalk when the elevator is depressed.

I claim as my invention l. A cover adapted to lit an opening in the sidewalk, an elevatorplatform, standards mounted on said elevator platform at the corners thereof and supporting said cover, said elevator platform, when raised, lifting said cover above the level of the sidewalk, and a guard device carried by said standards and arranged to project above the level of the sidewalk between said cover and said opening when the cover is raised for ventilating purposes.

2. A cover adapted to fit an opening in the sidewalk, an` elevator platform, stand-` ards mounted on said elevator platform, rods secured to said cover and slidable in said standards, and springs carried by said rods and adapted to be put under tension when said standards have descended past a predetermined point, substantially as described.

3. A cover adapted to close an opening in the sidewalk or floor, an elevator, telescoping means connecting said cover with said elevator', and means yieldingly resist-ing the separation of said telescoping means past a predetermined point.

t. A cover adapted to lit an opening in a sidewalk or loor, an elevator, standards mounted thereon, rods secured to said cover and slidable in said standards and yielding means connecting said rods and standards and adapted to be put under tension when said standardshave descended past a predetermined point.

5. A cover adapted to fit an opening in a floor or sidewalk, an elevator platform, standards mounted on said elevator platform and adapted to lift said cover above the level of said opening when the elevator platform is raised, and yielding means connecting said standards and said cover and operating when said elevator platform is lowered to draw said cover down upon its seat in said opening with a yielding pressure.

6. The combination, with a sidewalk having an opening therein and a frame inclosing said opening, said frame having a beveled seat formed therein, of a cover having a beveled edge to lit said seat and flush substantially with the top of the sidewalk when the cover is closed, an elevator having a platform adapted to be elevated into the opening in the sidewalk, standards mounted on said platform and connected to said cover, and guide plates operating to direct said cover to its seat in said frame when said elevator' is lowered.

'7. The combination, with a sidewalk having an'opening therein and a frame inclosing said opening, of a cover having a seat on said frame, flush, substantially, with the top of the sidewalk, and a platform adapted to be elevated into said opening, upright standards mounted on said platform and having braces between them and connected at their upper ends to said cover, whereby when said platform is raised and lowered,

Vsaid cover will be moved correspondingly,

and guards interposed between said standards near said cover and operating to screen the opening in the sidewalk when said cover is raised for Ventilating purposes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of April 1910.

FREDERICK KEES.

lVitnesses R101-IARD PAUL,

J. A. BYRNES.

Copies 0f this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

